James A. Joseph, leader in residence for the Hart Leadership Program and professor emeritus of the practice of public policy at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, received the Distinguished Leadership Award from the International Leadership Association.

Joseph is the founding director of the United States-Southern Africa Center for Leadership, a joint initiative of Duke University and the University of Cape Town.

Joseph has served in the administrations of four U.S. Presidents including serving as deputy secretary of the Interior and Ambassador to South Africa. He is a graduate of Southern University Baton Rouge and holds a master of divinity degree from Yale University. An endowed chair in the SUBR College of Business is named in his honor.